1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the protection of computer systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for detecting and preventing malicious code attacks on computer systems, such as by computer worms.
2. Description of the Related Art
Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, and in particular, P2P file sharing networks are becoming increasingly popular avenues for exchange of computer files, such as music files and software applications. Generally, each of the computer systems on a P2P network is viewed as a peer computer system, and is able to both access shared resources on other computer systems on the network and share their own resources with other computer systems on the network.
Within a P2P file sharing network, computer systems on the network make selected files available to share with the other computer systems on the P2P network, for example, by placing selected files in a P2P shared file folder. In particular, file sharing applications on P2P networks permit users of one computer system to initiate a query for information found in files in a P2P shared file folder of another computer system on the P2P network, and to download the file from the other computer system if so desired.
Unfortunately, the download of a file also provides an avenue for the introduction of malicious code, such as a computer worm, as part of the downloaded file. Further, once downloaded to another computer system, the malicious code can again be further propagated to the other computer systems on the P2P network through the use of the P2P shared file folder.